Since 1999 Richard and Judith Lang have focused their attention on just 1000 yards of tide line where they have collected plastic washing ashore on Kehoe Beach in the Point Reyes National Seashore. Although the news about plastic pollution is dire, they bring the excitement of scouting for treasures and the pleasure of the creative life to an otherwise difficult topic.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Mountainfilm in Telluride inspired by happiness

Maybe it was the rarefied air with 17% less oxygen that made us giddy or maybe it was the action- packed days that started at 7:15 AM, early up and out, so we could make it to an 8 AM Coffee Talk or the action-packed days that ended late with drinks with new friends.

One PlasticBeachscreened four times - once to an auditorium packed with students for the Mountain Film in the Classroom program- Making Movies that Matter, two times in the regular film festival, and finally, because it was so popular, it was selected as a TBA- for the last day finale- picks of the festival.

We did a Q+A with each screening. First thing, each time, we gave a big shout out to Eric Slatkin and Tess Thackara (directors/producers) with a big expression of our gratitude. It was their vision for the film and commitment to seeing it through that got us to Telluride.

We were glad to be such active Mountainfilm participants from our Q+A’S, the exhibition at AH-HAA, the Coffee Talk and the making of the trophies. Although we were always on the job- we even had a chance to enjoy a few movies.

We are big fans of the friendly Telluride style where conversations start up impromptu- while standing in line waiting for a film or over the breakfast table where strangers exchange stories and become friends.

On Saturday theSF Chroniclehad a big feature about Andy and Chico Bags and the lawsuits against him by plastic bag manufacturers.

We were so happy for all of theaward winners. Especially happy that Roko Belic won two trophies for his movie Happy - as the Audience Favorite and the Student Award by the students in the Movies that Matter program.

Kudos to Prudence Mabhena who won the first Indomitable Spirit Award who rocked with her soulful rendition ofOne Love.

Along the way we collected some authentic Telluride plastic and fashioned one very special trophy for Bebe, festival director David Holbrooke’s daughter. Bebe saw our film on the Internet then sent it on to her Dad insisting that he had to have us at Mountainfilm.

Big thanks toJeremy Baron for permission to use his photograph of Prudence at the award ceremony and of Judith at the Coffee Talk.